The nurse
by Toraky
Summary: Penny becomes jealous of the Elmore Junior High's new nurse when her boyfriend, Gumball, secretly falls in love with her.
1. The meeting

The meeting

It was a regular day of school when the Principal Borwn gathered the Elmore Junior High's kids inside the Great Hall.

"That's the part which I like the most!" Gumball Watterson said.

It was warm inside the Great Hall and there was a lot of confusion.

"We stay here for a couple of hours with nothing to do!" Gumball said, conveniently situated in his chair.

"Yup!" Darwin said, sitting next to him.

"Without saying we have a class test today! If this meeting will last long we can skip it. You know, I didn't study that much!" Darwin continued.

The fuss ended when the Principal Brown appeared on the stage. He was wearing a papillon on his furry body. That gave him an elegant look. Also Miss Simian entered taking a seat on the stage next to Brown.

"May I have your attention please?" he said into the microphone.

No one talked. Principal Brown spoke when he assured to have everyone's attention.

"Let me introduce you the plans of the second half of the school year!"

Brown took a bunch of sheets of papers and he started reading.

"Frist of all, this year's school trip won't take place in any European country…."

"Rats! I wish I could see Paris!" Gumball said apparently disappointed.

"Second, Pizza won't be served at school's canteen on Saturday; it will be served on Friday! Third thing is about the Gym….."

Gumball couldn't take anymore.

"I'm so bored!" Gumball yawned.

"Call me when the speech is over!" Gumball said and he fell asleep.

Meanwhile Principal Brown continued his speech.

"….recreation won't take more than 60 minutes. The bell will ring after 55 minutes then you'll have 5 minutes to turn back in your classroom…"

His speech ended with the punishment's topic.

"…..disobedient surprised to wander around the school without permission will be taken immediately in the detention room for about 30 minutes. That's all for today!"

Principal Brown put away his pile of notes. Darwin was about to wake up Gumball.

"Errr….." Miss Simian said to Brown pointing a girl offstage.

The students were about to leave the Great Hall when the Principal suddenly talked once again.

"Before leaving there's someone which we want to introduce you…."

All the students turned back to their seats.

"It's our pleasure to introduce you…. Miss Nancy Lovejoy!"

Brown gestured the girl offstage to come closer.

All the Elmore Junior High's students were pleased to see a beautiful anthropomorphic young doe appearing on the stage.

She was wearing a nice white coat and a pair of sneakers. She looked so young that someone could consider her a fawn then an adult doe.

"Hello boys and girls! My name is Nancy Lovejoy, I come from Maine and form now on I'll be your new school nurse. I studied medicine for years and, recently, I have been transferred here in Elmore as a trainee in your school!"

No one was talking; many students were still stunned by her prettiness.

"I know that I may sound excited, it's because I can't wait to meet you all. I know that it might sound more than a little crazy but you're just like brothers and sisters to me!"

"Awwww….." someone said.

"So, if someone may need my help, I'll be in the infirmary!" Nancy said.

She left the stage and Principal Brown returned.

"Thanks Miss Nancy!" Brown said clapping his hands.

"Well that's all for today! Now back in your classroom!"

Everyone left their seats.

"Gumball…." Darwin said.

"Zzzzzz….." Gumball snored.

"Gumball, wake up!"

"Zzzzzzz…."

Darwin took a huge breath.

"GUMBALL! WAKE UP!"

"Err….ehm… what…. What is it? Where am I? What happened?" Gumball said shocked and puzzled.

"Gumball, the meeting is over, everyone is leaving!" the goldfish said.

"What? It's over already? Wow!"

"Let's go!" Darwin said.

"Something important happened?" Gumball asked while returning in their classroom.

"No. Just the usual boring stuff; no wandering without permission, no more than 60 minutes of recreation, no loitering, no borrow more than three books in the library etc…!"

"Nothing else?" Gumball asked when they arrived at the entrance.

"No, nothing else!" Darwin said. He decided not to tell the "new nurse" stuff. He thought it wasn't important to his cat brother.


	2. The fracture

The fracture

The math test was impossible. Gumball had no chance to take, at least, a "C". He also realized that even Darwin was in trouble. Only Bobert the robot was the only one who finished the test in less than five minutes. He gave his test to Miss Simian and now he was sitting in his chair in his "standby" mode.

"Too easy when you are a robot!" Gumball thought, feeling a bit envious.

The bell rang.

"Time up. Give me your tests!" Miss Simian said, sitting on her chair.

When everyone gave their tests to the sitting monkey, they went outside for the gym class.

"So? How was the test?" Darwin asked to Gumball once they left the classroom.

"How it was? A complete disaster, as usual!" Gumball answered.

"Yup, I could study more if I knew the test was today. Miss Simian, usually, defers suspended tests till the next week!" Darwin explained.

"Yes, yes, it was a big surprise! I hope this gym class will cheer me up!"

"I wonder what our coach will let us do!" the goldfish wondered.

"I hope it won't force us to play football!" the blue cat said.

The coach forced the schoolchildren to play football.

"I organized a match with the other class. This is an opportunity to test your strength, speed and endurance!" the coach said.

Gumball had no intention to play.

"If you don't feel to play you can always sit on the bench and get an F!"

Gumball decided to play; he didn't want to take another "F".

It was a cloudy and windy day and Gumball couldn't stop shivering despite he was wearing the armor.

The coach put both Gumball and Darwin in the strikers rule.

Darwin was the running back and Gumball, luckily, was the wide receiver.

"It's good, it's good! If I stay here nothing bad will happen to me!" thought he, he had no intention to turn back home with a broken arm or with a broken leg.

The opposing team didn't look dangerous except for a gorilla.

Gumball shuddered when realized that gorilla was the quarterback.

"Are you ready?" the coach asked.

"I want a fair play!" the coach said.

"Do not cheat!" the coach said whistling to the whistle.

The match begun.

For thirty minutes, the play flowed without accidents except when Darwin passed the ball to Gumball.

"Go! You're near the end zone!" the goldfish yelled.

Gumball quickly ran to the opponent's end zone followed by an array of players.

Gumball was in the end zone when the opponent players tackled him making him fall to the ground.

"Don't give up! You're almost there!" screamed one of his classmate.

Gumball managed a touchdown by stretching his arm.

"Yes, I did it!" screamed when the ball touched the end zone.

A second later, the gorilla jumped on his hand.

"OUCH!" the blue cat screamed. He also heard a noisy crack.

"It's a touchdown! It's touchdown!" the couch said whistling on the whistle.

The opponent players freed the blue cat from the tackle.

"Are you fine?" the coach asked.

"I guess so!" Gumball said, trying to get up.

"Gumball, Gumball!" Darwin screamed.

"You've been amazing!" the goldfish said approaching to his brother.

"Yes, I know!"

"Here, let me…."

"OUCH!" the blue cat screamed when the goldfish touched his hand.

"What's wrong?" the goldfish asked.

"I don't know! You hurt me when you touched my hand with your fin!"

"What? Like this…."

The goldfish touched Gumball's hand.

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!" the blue cat screamed.

"Looks like you got a fracture!" the coach said.

"Darwin….please, escort Gumball to the infirmary!"

"Yes coach!" Darwin answered.

Soon Gumball and Darwin arrived to the infirmary.

"This day couldn't get any worse!" Gumball said near the entrance.

"Go! See you in classroom!" Darwin said.

Gumball knocked at the door and stepped in the infirmary.

He saw the back of a nurse (with a cute fluffy tail) which he never seen before.

The nurse turned back as she finished arranging the medicines in the cabinet.

Gumball's eyes were struck by a beautiful vision of a doe.

"Oh, hello there!" the nurse said smiling to the blue cat.

Gumball stood speechless.

"Are you hurt? Here, sit here!" the nurse said pointing the bed.

Gumball sat down.

"So? What we have here?" the nurse asked.

She noticed that Gumball's hand was strange.

"Ouch!" Gumball screamed when the nurse touched his fractured hand.

"Looks like your thumb got a fracture!" the nurse said.

The nurse took a little stick and some bandages.

The nurse also removed Gumball's football helmet since he wasn't able to do that.

"What a cute cat we have here!" the nurse said.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"G-G-G-G-Gumball W-W-Watterson!" Gumball said. His heart was beating very fast.

"Gumball uh? That's a nice name. I'm Nancy. Nancy Lovejoy!"

Gumball couldn't stop watching her eyes when she started to plaster his thumb.

"Here. Done!" Nancy said once she finished.

"Kisses!" she said kissing Gumball's thumb.

"Come back in three days to remove the plaster. Got it?"

"Y-Y-Yes. Got it!" Gumball said. He was blushing.

"Be careful from now on! Ok?" Nancy said.

"O-O-Ok!" Gumball answered.

Gumball stepped outside the infirmary and the nurse closed the door.

"Phew! Wow!" Gumball sighed when his heart turned in his normal beat and blushing was gone.

The gym class was over. Gumball returned his armor to the coach and went to his classroom.

Once in, Miss Simian gave the test's results.

Gumball was surprised when he realized that he got a "D".


	3. The plaster

The plaster

"You knew that we had a new nurse in the infirmary and you didn't tell me about that?" Gumball said waiting for the school bus with Darwin.

"Well, I thought that wasn't important!" Darwin answered next to him.

"Why you ask me that, by the way?" Darwin asked.

"Oh, it's nothing!" Gumball said.

"I was surprised for that!"

The school bus arrived at Watterson's house.

"Let's go!" Gumball said when the school bus doors opened.

Almost every seat inside the school bus was occupied. Finding a free one wasn't always an easy task.

"I think I'll sit here!" Darwin said taking seat next to Teri.

Gumball looked around for another free seat.

It was halfway on the bus when a little orange tentacle touched him.

The tentacle wrapped Gumball's arm and put him in to an empty seat.

"Hi Gumball!" said a female voice.

Gumball turned his head; he had a vision of a glowing yellow/orange creature with antlers, red eyes and small wings sitting next to him.

"Oh, hi Penny!" the blue cat said.

"What happened to your thumb?" the yellow/orange creature asked pointing her tentacle to Gumball's plastered thumb.

"Oh, it happened yesterday, during gym class; I was playing football when a gorilla jumped on my hand!" the blue cat explained.

"Oh, poor Gumball! Kisses!" Penny said. She also kissed Gumball's thumb in the same spot where also Nancy did.

"Doesn't hurt you?" Penny asked.

"Oh no! It's fine. The nurse did an excellent work!"

"Oh well, I'm happy to see that!" Penny said apparently relieved.

"Mind if I sit here?" a big schoolchild said. It seemed to come from nowhere.

"I'm sorry, there's no room!" Gumball answered.

"Oh, don't worry!" Penny said.

She stood up from her seat fluttering with her wings.

"Here!" she said pointing the free space.

"Thanks!" the schoolchild said.

"What a kind of you!" Gumball said when the schoolchild sat.

"But, are you going to stay without seat for the rest of the journey?"

"Not exactly!"

Penny turned into a squirrel and took place on Gumball's lap.

"Wake me up when we are arrived!" she said.

"Ok!"

There were no surprises that day except Miss Simian that talked about a history test that would take place next week.

The next day was the day where Gumball had to go to the infirmary to remove his plaster.

"Go, I have to go to the infirmary first!" Gumball said to Darwin during playtime.

"Ok, see you outside!" Darwin said.

The nurse gently removed the plaster from Gumball with some tools.

"Done. How do you feel?" Nancy asked.

"Fine!" Gumball answered.

"Can you move it?"

Gumball slowly moved his thumb. It wasn't hurting him. He could move it in any direction without any problem.

"Yes!" Gumball said.

"That's good! Now you can go to play!"

Gumball stepped out from the infirmary.

"Goodbye!" the doe said.

" 'bye!" Gumball answered before closing the door.

He begun to move outside. Now he no longer needed Nancy. He feared that would be the last time that he could see her.


	4. The hive

The hive

"Breakfast's ready!" Nicole screamed downstairs.

Gumball awoke and knocked at Darwin's bowl.

Everyone was ready to eat breakfast in the kitchen. Nicole placed new cereal's box in the table.

"What is this?" Darwin asked curiously.

" _Big surprise cereal: eat up and find the mysterious surprise inside."_

"Eh eh! That will be mine!" Richard said opening the box.

"No! It will be mine!" Darwin said.

Richard and Darwin started to dig inside the big box. Gumball didn't join, he was sitting on the chair gathering the cereal which his brother and his father where throwing on the table.

"Can you please stop throwing cereal around?" Anais asked sitting on her chair waiting for her pancakes.

"Too cool! I found a Frisbee!" Darwin exulted.

"Rats! Just your luck!" Richard said resigned.

Gumball was eating his cereal in his bowl.

"Hey, did you see?" Darwin asked.

"Oh… yes….. well done!" Gumball answered. He didn't look excited.

"You must hurry; your bus is here!" Nicole said some minutes later.

"Let's go!" Darwin said.

"Hey, wait for me!" Anais said finishing her pancakes.

The three kids sat on the school bus seats. Gumball sat on his seat without noticing Penny near him.

"Hi Gumball!" she said.

The blue cat turned his head.

"Hi Penny!"

The school bus left Watterson's house.

"You look worried today. Is there something wrong?" the fairy-like creature asked.

"Oh… me? No, I'm ok!"

"You're sitting with me, your girlfriend, why you don't look happy?"

"I'm fine, Penny!"

"Please, if you got a problem we can discuss together!"

"You have nothing to worry about. Everything is fine!" Gumball said. He had to say something to calm Penny.

"Ok, if you say so!" Penny said apparently calm.

There was history class at school but Gumball couldn't take the lesson. He was thinking about Nancy. Her beautiful eyes, her ears, her sweet manners, her lovely voice, her friendly attitude…..

The bell rang: playtime.

"Let's go!" Darwin said to Gumball.

Every kid was outside.

"What should we do now?" Gumball said.

"I have an idea why don't we play with this?" Darwin said showing his Frisbee.

"You brought that Frisbee here?" Gumball said.

"Yup, I thought it would be nice to play with!"

Darwin's Frisbee attracted the attention of his classmates.

"Hey, that's a nice Frisbee!" Teri said.

"Yeah, cool!" Banana Joe said.

"BEAUTIFUL TOY LOCATED! FUN RATE: 100% GUARANTEED!" Bobert said.

"Great, if we create a group we'll have a great fun!" Carmen said.

They created a circle.

"All right! Here's the rules. We stand on circle and each one passes the Frisbee to the other one. If the other one catches the Frisbee it's good, otherwise it loses one point. When a player loses at least ten points, it leaves the circle. Understood?" Carmen said.

Everyone nodded.

"Wait, before we start, we must tighten the circle!" Carmen said, warning the others.

"Why?" Gumball asked.

"We are too close to that tree!" Carmen explained and she pointed a tree nearby.

"Why? What's wrong with that tree?" Darwin asked confused.

"It has a hive!"

All the kids turned their heads in search of the hive.

"Oh, here is!" Darwin said as soon he spotted the hive hanging on a tree branch.

"HIVE DETECTED! DANGER FACTOR: HIGH!" Bobert said.

"That's not a big deal! If we are careful, nothing bad will happen!" Carmen said reassuring the others.

The circle was ready.

Other kids like Idaho and Tobias joined the team. Others like Tina, Masabi, Penny and Carrie stayed apart.

"I wish I could have hands to play!" Masabi said a bit sad.

"I hate watching their happy-smiling faces!" Carrie Krueger said.

"Well, see you later!" Penny said moving away.

"Where are you going?" Masabi asked.

"Don't you want to assist your boyfriend?" Carrie asked.

"I would but, you know, I have my trainings!" Penny answered.

"Trainings? Oh, all right then!" Masabi said wondering what kind of trainings Penny was talking about.

"Let's play!" Carmen said.

The game begun.

The kids started to pass the disc to each other. After some minutes, someone lost some points.

Gumball, for some minutes, had fun but he was distracted by the vision of the hive hanging on the branch.

It seemed that nobody could spot it except him. The position where he was standing could allow him to spot the hive.

The Frisbee hit his face.

"Ouch!" the blue cat screamed.

"Sorry Gumball, you lose one point!" Carmen said.

Gumball picked up the disc and threw it to Banana Joe that was in front of him.

Idaho didn't catch the disc.

"That was the tenth time. Sorry Idaho you're out!" Carmen said.

Idaho left the circle.

"Can I play too?" a flower said.

"Oh, sure, Leslie!" Carmen answered.

Gumball's face wasn't hurting. Even his nose wasn't bleeding. If the hit was that bad, he could get injured. He remembered when he got his thumb fractured and, suddenly, the memory of Nancy healing him.

Leslie passed the disc to Gumball and, this time, he grabbed it.

"Well done!" Leslie said.

"All right, now pass the Frisbee!" Carmen ordered.

Gumball stared the Frisbee. He was about to throw it when, suddenly, he stopped.

"What are you doing? Pass the Frisbee!" Carmen said.

"Something gone wrong?" Leslie asked.

After some instants, the blue cat threw the disc.

"Finally!" Leslie said.

Gumball's disc flew over the circle. It hit the hive and that fell from the tree.

"Oh no, what have you done?" Carmen said when the hive landed on the ground.

A swarm of bees came out from the hive.

"WARNING! WARNING: BEES ALERT!" Bobert said alarmed.

Everyone run away.

"Gumball! What are you doing there? Run!" Darwin screamed.

The blue cat was stood still;

"Oh yes, you're right! I'm coming!"

Gumball tried to run away but, suddenly, he stumbled and fell on the ground.

"Gumball, get up!" Darwin screamed.

The cloud of bees was getting closer.

"I…I can't. I sprained my ankle. I can't move!"

The swarm of bees was getting closer.

"Oh no!" Darwin said.

He tried to aid his brother cat but the bees were excessively close. He had to desist.

"Darn!" the goldfish said once inside the school.

The bees attacked Gumball.

Nancy arranged the medicines in the cabinet when someone knocked at her door.

It was Gumball again. He was smiling but his body was covered with bee stings.


	5. The canteen

The canteen

It was launch time and Elmore Junior High's canteen was plenty of kids. All the schoolchildren were eating their own launch. Well, most of them.

Gumball wasn't there; he still didn't come back from the infirmary.

Darwin was eating his launch from a dish sitting on a seat near Banana Joe and Idaho.

A fluttering glowing yellow/orange creature with tentacles approached to the goldfish some minutes later; it was Penny.

"Hi Darwin!" she said.

"Oh, hi Penny!" Darwin answered looking at her. She was wearing a headband; probably she came back from her "trainings".

"What's wrong?" Darwin asked.

"Did you see Gumball? I can't find him anywhere!"

"No I didn't see him!"

"Where is him now?" the fairy like creature asked.

"I don't know! I guess he must be the infirmary!"

"Why? What happened?" Penny asked apparently worried.

"Oh, it's an odd story!" the goldfish answered.

"Then tell me!" Penny said.

"He was attacked by a swarm of bees!"

"And what's odd about that?" Penny asked.

Darwin interrupted eating and took some time to explain what actually happened.

"We were playing with a Frisbee outside…."

"I know that…" Penny interrupted.

"Yes, so we were playing Frisbee with some other guys in circle when Gumball threw the disc against a hive that was hanging on a tree. Some bees came out and attacked him!"

"Then why he didn't run away?" Penny asked.

"He tried to run away but he stumbled and fell on the ground. He tried to get up but he sprained his ankle. I tried to aid him but the bees were too close. So, they attacked him!"

"You said there was something odd about that!" Penny pressed.

"Yes, I have noticed something strange at some point. Some minutes later the bees left Gumball alone and he went to the infirmary!"

"So?"

"Well, he said he had a sprained ankle but I saw him walking regularly to the infirmary. You know, people limps when their ankles are broken. But Gumball's walk was quite regular like his ankle didn't break!"

"Really?" Penny asked puzzled.

"Yup. Then I started to think that Gumball pretended his fall! Also I thought he hit that hive purposely!"

Penny was speechless.

"Then why he was attacked by the bees on purpose?" she asked.

"I don't know! Looks like he needed an excuse to go to the infirmary. In fact I saw him smiling when I escorted him!"

"Why he did all this?" the glowing creature asked.

"I don't know, maybe he was looking for a way to skip Miss Simian's lesson or….."

Darwin had no idea about what to say.

"Or…." Penny pressed.

"Sorry, I really have no idea!"

Penny was thoughtful.

"Hmmm…." She mumbled.

The bell rang: lunchtime was over.

Darwin quickly finished his meal before leaving the canteen.

"Thanks for your information!" Penny said feeling grateful.

"Oh, no problem!" the goldfish answered.

Once in classroom, Penny noticed her boyfriend sitting on his seat. He returned from the infirmary. His body was covered with an ointment. Some bee stings were still visible but his face was still smiling, as something nice happened to him. Penny gave a look to him; the story was getting suspicious to her.


	6. The crushed

The crushed

Penny was thoughtful. She was staring at her pancakes for several minutes.

"Eat your breakfast, Penny!" Patrick said.

"Is there something wrong?" her mom asked looking a bit worried.

"Oh… no it's ok!" the light bulb shaped creature answered.

She was thinking about what Darwin said to her yesterday. Could Gumball have fallen in love with the new nurse? She spent whole night thinking about it. She also didn't sleep. Now she was staring at her pancakes made by her mother.

"Why are you not eating?" Patrick asked.

"I'm ok. It's just…I'm not hungry!" Penny answered to her father. In fact, the numb that her boyfriend could have a new love made her lost her appetite.

"Your bus is here! I'm sure that Watterson boy can't wait to see you!" her mom said.

"Yes… sure!" Penny answered.

"Bye!" she said leaving her house.

"Have a nice day!" her mom said.

"Bye!" her little sister said.

"Don't cause any troubles!" her father advised.

Penny left home and got to the bus.

Gumball sat on her side when the bus arrived at his home. His body was completely healed by the bee stings. He also looked happy. Penny remembered that he wasn't that happy last time.

"Hi Penny!" he said.

"Hi Gumball!" her girlfriend answered.

The bus arrived at school. The kids were waiting for the bell announcing the beginning of school. Meanwhile, Carmen arrived waving a copy of a newspaper.

"Is here, is here! Guys, we finally published the Elmore Junior High's daily this morning! Sarah and Jamie are helping me to dispatch the copies!" the cactus girl said approaching to her classmates outside.

"What's new?" Darwin asked.

"A lot of stuff! We made an interview to the candidates for the student council president! We wrote an article about our football team and….."

Meanwhile a bicycle arrived at school. It was Nancy, she looked different without her white work shirt. She was wearing what they could be her regular clothes: a red shirt and a pair of jeans.

"Good morning kids!" she said to the kids apparently excited.

"Good morning Nancy!" a chorus of kids answered.

"Good morning Nancy!" Gumball said when she was close at him.

"Oh, hi Gumball. How do you feel today?" Nancy asked.

"I'm….. I'm fine. Thank you!" he answered smiling.

"Do the bee stings still hurt you?"

"No, not anymore!"

"Fine!" Nancy said. She kissed and caressed Gumball's head. Penny turned red watching the scene.

"Be careful for now on, ok?" Nancy said.

"S…sure!" Gumball said blushing.

Nancy entered to the school.

"That Nancy is really something!" Carmen said.

"Yup!" Gumball said.

"AFFERMATIVE!" Bobert said.

"She rocks!" Banana Joe said.

"We wrote an article about her on the newspaper!" Carmen said.

"Really?" Gumball asked.

The bell rang and everyone went inside the school. Before entering into the classroom, Gumball took a copy of the school newspaper from a pile placed near the entrance. During the boring history class, Penny noticed that her boyfriend was secretly reading the newspaper hidden inside his history book. Some hours later, the bell rang playtime.

"That was the last history lesson! Good luck for tomorrow's history test!" Miss Simian said while the kids where leaving the classroom.

A group of kids composed by Carmen, Sarah, Carrie, Tobias, Tina, Bobert and Leslie where talking in the schoolyard. Penny was surprised when she saw her boyfriend join them.

"I just can't believe that history test is tomorrow!" Sarah said.

"I must take at least a C+ or my parents won't allow me to go to the summer camp this year!" Carmen said.

"I just wonder what historical period the test will…."

"I liked your article!" Gumball said interrupting Carmen.

"Oh really? The one about the horoscope?"

"No, no, I mean, the one at page number five!" Gumball pointed.

"Oh yes, the one about the nurse. Well I'm happy to see that!"

"Yup. That Nancy is so lovely!" Gumball said.

"Oh yes! Your words! I personally don't like her that much!" Penny said joining the conversation.

"Why? She's so sweet, so pretty, so caring…" Leslie said.

"Well, I don't like her too. She's always smiling, always joyful, always…."

"Carrie! You're an emo, you hate happiness!" Carmen said interrupting Carrie.

"SHARP OBSERVATION!" Bobert said.

The cactus girl resumed the conversation.

"So, anyway, I was wondering what historical period the history test will be about…. Hmmm….."

Someone had a clue.

"Probably it will start from the discovery of America!" Leslie said.

"Yes, that Nancy is so cute!" Gumball said.

"Yup. From that British guy Chris Columbus in 1496!" Tobias said.

"INCORRECT: CHRIS COLUMBS WAS ITALIAN! AMERICA WAS DISCOVERED IN THE 1492!" Bobert corrected.

"That's right Bobert!" Sarah said.

"Yep. Also America takes the name from that Columbus's friend…what was his name….?" Carmen said.

"AMERIGO VESPUCCI!" Bobert answered.

"She's also very nice!" Gumball said.

"That's right Bobert!" Leslies said.

"Oh, I wish I could have your brain!"

"She also has a bicycle!" Gumball said.

The kids were confused.

"Gumball are you even listening?" Carmen asked.

"Nancy's bicycle is nice!" the blue cat answered.

"What? We were talking about history!"

"Oh yeah, sorry, I was distracted!"

"Gumball, you worry me!" Penny said.

"It's ok! I'm fine, Penny!"

Carmen resumed her speech.

"So, the test will probably be about America history or….."

"The world war?" Leslie said.

"The French Revolution?" Tobias said.

"I hope it won't be about prehistory!" Tina T-Rex said apparently worried.

Gumball laughed.

"What's funny about that?" Tina asked annoyed.

"That won't be a problem for you!"

"Why?"

"Because you're a dinosaur! Bwahahaha!"

For a joke that bad, Tina gone mad and stomped the blue cat with her big foot.

"Hey!" Penny said while Tina left the group without saying anything.

"What happened?" Darwin said arriving too late. He was playing with Idaho and Teri when he heard the crush noise.

Penny was shocked. Gumball could never tease Tina after being stepped for the first time. It happened some months ago. Penny started to have a suspect about that.

"Hurry, let's take him to the nurse!" Carmen said.


	7. The tickets

The tickets

It was late afternoon when Nancy reached the Principal Brown's office.

"Hi Principal Brown, have you called me?" Nancy said.

"Greetings Nancy! Thank you for coming. Please take a seat!" the furry louse answered pointing a seat in front to him.

The beautiful anthropomorphic doe sat on the chair and looked at the Principal Brown's eyes through his glasses.

"You had something to tell me?" Nancy asked.

Brown smiled.

"Oh yes! Well, I have to say that I'm really impressed…."

Brown took a sheet of paper on the desk.

"I'm really impressed of your results. You have masterfully healed many kids. As a nurse you're really skilled, I never seen such results in a short period of time. Not only you have achieved such nice results, also your popularity among our students is very high. Just think about that one of our students, Carmen, wrote a very nice article about you on the Elmore Junior High's daily. You are such a good nurse also a very popular character in the entire school. In fact, I never seen the kids so excited to go to the infirmary!"

"You flatter me, sir!" Nancy answered blushing.

"So, is that all you have to say to me?" Nancy asked.

"Not exactly, I was about to get to the point!"

The Principal Brown opened a drawer.

"I know you like the museums…."

He took two small sheets of paper.

"…so I decided to award you with these two tickets for the Elmore's Museum of Natural Science. One for you and one for your boyfriend or for your friends, if you have any!"

"Oh, thanks Principal Brown!" Nancy said taking the two tickets.

"You can go now!"

"All right!"

Nancy stood up from her chair and went to the door.

"And keep your excellent work!" the Principal said.

"Sure!"

"Goodbye!"

"Goodbye!" Nancy said closing the door.


	8. The lie

The lie

"Thanks for the soiree!" Penny said to Gumball when she arrived at home. It was a beautiful Saturday night. Stars beautifully dotted the sky.

"Oh, it was a pleasure!" the blue cat answered.

They spent the night eating an ice cream and watching the sundown to the beach.

"How about to date again tomorrow?" Penny suggested.

"Sure, why not?"

"So, where should we go tomorrow?" Penny asked.

"Anywhere except museums!" Gumball said.

"Yes, I know you hate museums!"

Penny would love to visit a museum but her boyfriend wasn't a museum lover.

"How about the cinema? I heard they are broadcasting a nice romantic movie!" Penny suggested.

"Hmmmm…Ok! That would be fine!" the blue cat answered.

"Then, see you tomorrow!" Penny said.

"Ok, see you tomorrow!"

"At four o' clock?" Gumball asked.

"Yes, I'll be by you at four o'clock!" Penny said.

"Good night!"

"Good night to you too!" Penny said and she went at home.

Once at home Darwin greeted his brother;

"So? How was your date?" the goldfish asked.

"Good. It was a beautiful night!"

"Great, great. Now let's go to sleep. Mom and dad are sleeping already!"

"All right!"

"Also Anais. So we have to be quiet if we don't want to wake up her!" Darwin warned.

"Ok!"

The blue cat and the goldfish silently went to sleep. Gumball on his bed and Darwin inside his water bowl.

"Breakfast's ready!" Nicole said downstairs the next morning.

"Wake up Darwin!" Gumball said to Darwin knocking at his water bowl.

It was a lovely Sunday. There was a hot Sun and all the kids were playing outside.

"Hey, let's go to play at Elmore's Park!" Darwin suggested as soon he finished his toast.

"Good idea, I come along!" Gumball answered.

"Hey, wait for me!" Anais said when her brothers went outside.

There were almost every Elmore Junior High's kids playing at Elmore's Park. Hector wasn't there, they said he was on castigation. Bobert wasn't there, they said he was recharging his batteries at home. Penny wasn't there, she was studying at home, at least that's what Teri said (and Gumball felt sorry for her). Gumball and Dariwn played for hours and they had a real good time. They left the park at lunchtime.

"Had fun?" Nicole asked once they arrived at home.

"Yup!" Darwin answered.

Nicole cooked the risotto and everyone started eating.

The phone rang during launch.

Nicole couldn't answer: she was cooking an apple pie.

Anais fell asleep: she ate too much.

Richard had half of his head submerged inside his risotto. Gumball decided to go to answer the phone but Darwin anticipated him.

"Hello!" the goldfish said to the telephone posted on the wall.

"Oh hi!" Darwin smiled. Gumball guessed that the person at the other side of the phone had to be a nice one.

"Yes…yes….what? Me? No, to be fair, I'm not interested. What? My brother? Ok, wait a moment please. I'll ask him!"

Darwin called his brother.

"There's someone for you at the telephone!" he explained.

"Who is?"

"Just grab the telephone and talk!" Darwin answered lazily.

"Hello?" Gumball said grabbing the telephone.

"Hi Gumball!" a female voice answered.

Gumball quickly recognized the female voice; it was Nancy.

"Oh, hi Nancy!"

"How do you feel today?" Nancy asked.

"I'm fine, thank you!"

"I'm sorry if I call you at this moment…"

"Oh, don't worry!" Gumball said.

"Well, I have something to ask you…"

"Is there something wrong?" Gumball asked.

"I like museums so, two days ago, Principal Brown gave me two tickets for the Elmore's Museum of Natural Science. One for me and one for a friend!"

Gumball was listening.

"Since my mom, my dad, my brother, my sister, my friends and my boyfriend are in Maine…."

Gumball felt surprised to hear Nancy having a boyfriend.

"…I'm asking you if you wish to come along with me to the museum. I already asked to the other boys but they rejected. I also asked to your brother and he rejected as well…."

Darwin wasn't a museum lover just like his brother.

"….and if you'll reject then I'll have to trash the tickets because this is the last day which the tickets are still valid and I don't want to go to the museum all alone…"

Gumball felt sorry for her situation.

"Awww, poor Nancy!" he thought.

"…so are you going to go to the museum with me?"

It was a delicate situation, but Gumball quickly took his decision.

"Ok Nancy, I'll go with you!" he answered.

"Really? Thanks, you're so gentle!"

Gumball blushed.

"When can I pick you up? Is at the five o'clock good for you?" Nancy asked.

"Oh yes, no problem. Five o'clock will be fine!"

"Good. See you later! Bye!"

"Goodbye!" Gumball said closing the call.

Gumball turned back to finish his lunch. After that, he went up to his room to play with Darwin, keeping an eye to the clock. After a while, the doorbell rang.

"It must be her!" Gumball thought.

He gave a look at the clock; it wasn't five o'clock, but four.

"She came earlier!" he hypothesized.

Gumball opened the door but it wasn't Nancy; it was Penny.

"Hi Gumball!" the fluttering yellow/orange antlered creature said.

"Oh, hi Penny!"

Gumball felt puzzled but then he remembered his date with Penny accorded last night.

"Why do you look surprised? Have you forgotten our date?" she said looking irritated.

"No….. of course not!" he answered.

"Then, let's go!"

Gumball didn't move from the door.

"What's the problem? Why are you still there?" Penny asked.

"Penny…..I'm sorry…..but…."

"What?"

"I…..can't date with you today!" Gumball said embarrassed.

"Why?" Penny asked.

"Because….."

The situation was delicate. Gumball had to be careful. He had to invent an excuse, and quickly, before Penny began to get suspicious.

"…I….have to visit Grandma Jo Jo. She phone me and I have to visit her!"

Penny was quiet.

"May I come along with you?" she asked.

"Err…no, sorry!" Gumball answered.

"Those are family matters. I won't involve you!" he explained.

"Oh, sorry, you're right!" Penny said after a while.

"We can always go to the cinema the next week! Ok?"

"….well…..next week!"

The lie seemed to work: the antlered creature moved away.

"See you later!" she said leaving the Watterson's residence.

"It worked!" Gumball thought when his girlfriend disappeared from his sight.

Gumball started to feel relieved and bad at the same time.

Penny believed his words and she didn't react badly as predicted.

However, Gumball couldn't feel happy; he lied to her.

"…but I had to!" he thought.

He lied for a good reason; he couldn't tell the truth. He guessed that a catastrophe would happen if he talked about his date with Nancy. Penny would react badly and that would mean destruction. Penny would turn herself into a monster and she would destroy entire Elmore or, more probably, she would send the nurse to the Sun. Gumball knew about her girlfriend's stability. She was no longer the stable, friendly girl that she was when she had her shell on. She changed a lot that day.

Nancy Lovejoy arrived to the Watterson's residence by bike some minutes later.

"Hi Gumball!" the beautiful doe said.

She was wearing a hood, a red shirt, a pair of jeans and a pair of sneakers. She looked younger. She looked a fawn.

"Hello nurse!" Gumball said.

Nancy laughed;

"Please, just call me Nancy, we are not at school!"

"Right!"

"So, are you ready?" she asked.

"Sure!" the blue cat answered.

"Mom, I'm going to the museum with Nancy!" he said.

"All right. Come back for dinner!" Nicole answered.

"All right!" he said.

"Let's go!" he said Nancy.

Gumball sat on the saddle behind Nancy and they went to the museum.


	9. The jealousy

The jealousy

She read the label;

" _Trilobites are a group of extinct marine arthropods from the Paleozoic era."_

"Oh, look at that!" Nancy said watching the ancient fossils in the display case.

"They are impressive. Don't you think?"

"Uh….yeah. Very impressive!" Gumball answered.

Nancy gave a look around the museum. She was excited.

"Over here!" she said.

She grabbed Gumball's hand and she took him to the hall of dinosaurs.

Her hand was soft and warm. Gumball's heart began to beat faster.

"Isn't the greatest dinosaur you ever seen?" she asked in front of a giant T-rex.

"Uh…..yeah." the blue cat answered.

Maybe it wasn't the biggest T-rex he ever saw. He could still remember Tina's dad when he tried to get back Anais's plush. That was a bad day. Gumball stared to the T-rex for some minutes when, suddenly, something else caught his attention; a stand of wax animals was located near the dinosaurs. From the many wax animals, one in particular looked suspicious to him. A deer. A wax made deer was staring at him. Gumball approached to the animal and he noticed his antlers. They were the same as Penny's ones. He, suddenly, felt observed. Maybe Penny secretly followed him and turned into a deer. Gumball shivered just thinking about it. Gumball stared the animal for some minutes. Nothing happened. He touched the animal. He felt the wax on his hand, but nothing happened; the animal didn't react.

"So, do you like deer?" Nancy asked reaching the blue cat.

"W-what…..?" Gumball said caught by surprise.

" _Whitetail deer._ " Nancy said reading the label.

"Hmmm….this one must be a male. It has antlers!" she said.

"Oh….." the blue cat said.

"Here, let's go to the astral pavilion, I want to see the stars!"

They moved away from the animal stand. Before leaving Gumball felt relieved realizing that deer was just a wax statue.

The cat and the doe reached the astral pavilion escorted by an anthropomorphic Walkman; he was the guide of the museum.

"This is the astral pavilion!" the Walkman said opening a room with several seats.

Gumball and Nancy took a seat and the guide pull a lever.

The room became dark and the white walls turned into skies with stars and planets.

"Wow. Look at that!" Nancy said.

The solar system appeared on the ceiling of the room.

They watched all the amazing 3-D holograms for several minutes. Gumball looked at the watch once the came out from the room.

"It's almost six o'clock! It's late, I have to get back home!" he said.

"Don't worry. I'll escort you!" Nancy said.

"Thanks, but….I think I'd better…."

"Don't worry; with my bike you won't be late for dinner!" Nancy insisted.

It was risky. Gumball felt that Penny could be waiting for him in his yard. She could see him with Nancy. Gumball couldn't help it.

"Thank you for coming!" their guide said once they were out from the Elmore's Museum of Natural Science.

Nancy reached Watterson's yard in few minutes with her bicycle. Gumball felt relieved: Penny wasn't in the yard.

"Well, it was a pleasure!" Nancy said when Gumball got off the bike.

"Thank you for the trip!" Gumball said.

"No, thanks to you for coming with me. You were a great companion!"

Nancy kissed Gumball on the cheeks and he blushed.

"See you tomorrow!" Nancy said.

"Yes…. see you at school!"

"Goodbye!"

" 'bye!" Gumball said while Nancy moved away with her bike.

The front door opened and Darwin came out.

"Finally you're back!" the goldfish said reaching his brother.

"Hi Darwin!" Gumball said.

"We were waiting for you, come inside: dinner's ready. Our father is starving!"

"All right!" Gumball said.

As soon the two kids entered in the house, an antlered chameleon appeared on the ground. It saw the whole scene. Penny turned in to her fairy-like form before returning home.

"Finally you're back. How was your date with Watterson?" her mom said once she was inside her home.

Penny didn't answer. She went to her room upstairs and closed the door without saying anything.

She couldn't forget what she saw and what Watterson said to her.

"Why? Why?" she cried.

She looked around her room and she spotted the Elmore Junior High's gazette on her table. She took the last copy some days ago, but she never read it.

She took the gazette and read Carmen's article about Nancy;

" _She's a welcome surprise. She arrived just few days ago and all Elmore Junior High already loves her. Nancy Lovejoy, 25 years old, left Maine to come to Elmore to practice the profession of nursing in Elmore Junior High's school. She studied medicine at….."_

Penny stopped reading. There was a picture of Nancy near the article. She looked at her beautiful eyes, her beautiful smile, her cute ears….

Penny looked herself into the mirror. She looked at her funny-shaped body, her little stare-looking red eyes, her tentacles with no hands or feet, her pointless antlers, her little wings….

"No!" she screamed.

She turned into a dragon and burned Nancy's picture, then she calmed down and turned into her default form.

Her mom arrived.

"What was that noise?" she asked.

"Please Penny, come downstairs. Dinner's ready and your dad is waiting!"

"….o….ok!" Penny answered.

Meanwhile a green cloud appeared. The jealousy noticed Penny and possessed her body. A green aura covered her body.


	10. The wing

The wing

It was a nice Monday morning but Penny didn't sleep.

She went downstairs and stared at her breakfast without eating it.

"Eat you breakfast, Penny!" her father said.

Penny did nothing, she kept staring her breakfast thoughtful.

"Why are you not eating?"

"Don't force her, Patrick. Probably she's not hungry!"

"I see she's upset. Something gone wrong? Maybe is something about that Watterson….."

The school bus arrived at Penny's home.

"Your bus is here. Hurry!" her mom said.

"Sis….." her little sister said sitting on her baby chair. She looked worried for her older sister.

"We'll talk about this later!" Patrick said.

Penny moved away from home and sat on the bus.

Gumball, Darwin and Anais entered as soon the bus stopped at the Watterson's yard.

"Hi Penny!" Gumball said sitting near his girlfriend. He looked happy.

Penny didn't say anything.

"Hi….Penny!" the blue cat insisted.

Penny kept quiet. She wasn't even looking at him. She was sitting on her seat with a blank stare.

A big kid arrived at Gumball's seat. It was the same of the last week.

"I can't find any seat! Mind if I seat here?"

The kid got no answer.

"I said can I…."

"Sure. Come here Penny!" the blue cat said.

Penny didn't move, unlike she did last week.

The kid couldn't wait anymore and tried to sit between the blue cat and the antlered fairy-like creature.

"No!" Penny screamed.

She turned into a black panther and roared at him.

The kid screamed terrorized and ran away crying.

"What's the…."

Gumball realized Penny was in bad mood. He decided to leave his girlfriend alone without saying anything else.

For the entire rest of the day, Penny was quiet and evasive. She didn't talk or answer to anyone. During lunch, she didn't sit near Gumball. She sat near the other Elmore Junior High's girls.

The other girls were surprised but none of them asked explanations to her. The girls realized that wasn't a good idea to tease or bother a creature in bad mood. Especially if the creature is a girl named Penny Fitzgerald. A creature with unstable shape-shifting powers that can burn or destroy the world even without knowing it.

Penny didn't say anything till recreation time. All kids were playing in the school backyard but Penny didn't feel like playing. She stayed away from the others. She stayed lonely under a shadow of a tree. Meanwhile a gardener was trying to cut down the tree. He cut the tree to make it fall on his side, but the last cut was inaccurate and the tree fell in the other side were Penny was laying.

"Watch out!" the gardener screamed.

Penny noticed the tree but she wasn't quick enough to avoid it. The tree hit Penny.

All the Elmore Junior High's kids went to aid her.

"Penny. Are you okay?" Gumball asked.

Altogether, the kids lifted the tree.

"Can you move?" Carmen said.

"I'm so sorry. I lost the control of the tree!" the gardener apologized.

"Don't….. don't worry! I'm fine!" Penny said getting up from the ground.

"Thankfully…" Gumball said apparently relieved.

Penny tried to flutter, but something was wrong.

Fluttering became very tiresome to her. Her left wing was waving very fast. Her other wing was still.

"What's wrong Penny?" Gumball asked watching his girlfriend barely fluttering.

"It's nothing! Really!" she answered.

"Penny, your right wing…..it's broken!" Gumball said.

"I'm fine!" she said.

"No Penny. Gumball is right. Your wing is broken!" Carmen said.

"Yes, the tree must be fallen on your wing!" Terri said.

"It's not a problem!" Penny insisted.

"Don't be silly, you can't flutter with one wing!" Masabi pointed.

"Silliness, I can fly perfectly!"

Penny fluttered with one wing for some seconds. Then her left wing became tired and stopped moving. Penny fell on the ground.

"Penny, I think it's serious!" Gumball said aiding her.

"Yes, you should go to the infirmary!" Teri said.

Penny had a vision of her being healed by her rival. That won't happen.

"I'm ok! I can get up all by myself!" Penny said.

She tried to get up but it was impossible to her.

"Penny, I think you really need to go to the infirmary!" Carmen said.

"Yes, Nancy will skillfully heal you as she did to all of us!" Teri said.

"No….no…..no!" Penny insisted shaking her head.

"See, we're lucky to have Nancy as our school nurse! Now come here Penny, let me accompany you to the…."

"Don't touch me!" Penny screamed interrupting her boyfriend.

Penny's appearance started to change.

"Oh no, oh no!" Teri said.

"WARNING! WARNING! NASTY CREATURE ALERT!" Bobert said.

"Let's get inside, hurry!" Carmen said to everyone.

The kids quickly entered in to the school, but Gumball stayed outside.

Meanwhile Penny became a huge dragon-like monster, big as one third of the school backyard.

"Penny! Please, stop!" Gumball screamed as Penny started to destroy everything for no apparent reason.

"Get inside Gumball! It's too dangerous!" the kids screamed from inside but the blue cat refused.

"Stop! You're destroying everything!" Gumball insisted.

Suddenly, Penny ceased to devastate as if she listened to her boyfriend.

She started to shake her wings as if she was going to fly away from the school, but her right wing was still broken. The broken wing didn't allow her to fly any further. After some minutes, her left wing stopped moving for the tiredness and Penny violently landed on the ground. Gumball quickly dodged her for not being crushed by her huge body.

Penny's body fell unconscious on the ground and turned back to its default form. Gumball approached to his girlfriend and notice that her left antler was missing. Penny may lost it for the violent landing.

Gumball found Penny's left antler far away from her body. He tried to pick it up but it quickly turned into dust and it dissolved into thin air.

The kids turned back to the school backyard; the worst was over. Now they could return to play.

Without saying anything, Gumball took Penny (still unconscious) and carried her to the infirmary.


	11. The hope

The hope

Penny was laying on the bed in the infirmary when she regained consciousness.

"Finally, you wake up!" the nurse said.

Nancy approached her with a disinfectant bottle.

Penny was confused. Till a moment ago she was in the school backyard, now she was in the infirmary.

"Stand still or I won't be able to heal you!" Nancy said.

Suddenly she regained her memory. She remembered the tree, her broken wing, how much her classmates insisted to take her to the infirmary….

Nancy started to heal Penny's wounds with a piece of cotton wetted with disinfectant.

"Ouch!" she screamed.

"Don't move. I almost finished!" Nancy said.

Penny was amazed to see her body full of wounds. Probably she procured them when she fell on the ground. She remembered the fall then nothing else. She couldn't remember what happened next. Maybe her boyfriend brought her to the infirmary. But what happened exactly wasn't important. She was face to face with her rival. She was about to be healed by her rival.

"Now I'll fix your wing!" Nancy said.

While Nancy occupied to get some bandages from her locker, a tear started to run all over Penny's body.

Nancy took the bandages and turned to Penny; she was crying.

"Penny, why are you crying?" she asked. She couldn't bear her sadness.

Penny kept silent.

"Is for your wounds? They are still hurting you?"

Penny shook her head.

"Is for your wing?"

Penny shook her head again.

"Then, why are you crying?" Nancy insisted.

Penny didn't answer, maybe she wouldn't trust in the nurse. Then Nancy sought a way to make her talk.

"Little Penny, tell me what's wrong. You look enchained by your own sorrow. In your eyes there is no hope for tomorrow!"

Suddenly Penny felt surprised. It was like Nancy was talking directly to her heart.

"How I hate to see you like this… and I know there's no way you can deny it. Now I can see why you are so sad and so quiet."

"Little Penny, tell me the truth. I'm a shoulder you can cry on. Your best friend and the one you must rely on."

"You must be always sure of yourself. Now I see you've broken a wing. I hope we can patch it up together!" she said.

Her words were so sincere and friendly. Penny felt she could trust in her nurse. She kept silent for some minutes. Her tears were still running all over her body. Then she answered.

"My…..(sigh)….my boyfriend…."

"What happened to your boyfriend?" Nancy asked.

"…..he…doesn't love me…anymore (sigh)!"

"Why?"

"He loves another girl now….(sigh)!"

"Who? Who's this other girl?" Nancy said curious.

Penny answered with on single word.

"You!" she said pointing her orange tentacle to the nurse.

"What…me?" Nancy said amused.

"Yes….." Penny answered sobbing.

"How can you say that?" she said smiling.

Penny told the whole story.

"I saw you going to the museum with my boyfriend Gumball yesterday!"

Nancy laughed for a while.

"It was because I asked some company. Gumball accepted while all the others refused!" Nancy explained.

"But Gumball hates museums!"

"He accepted because he was the last which I could ask a company. If he refused, I had to discard my tickets and renounce my trip to the museum. I love museums but I don't like to go there all alone and Gumball knew that!"

"You didn't ask my company!" Penny said.

"I tried to phone you yesterday morning, but your father told me you were busy with your homework!"

Penny blushed a little. Nancy couldn't explain that.

"But Gumball loves you! I saw him getting hurt on purpose in order to go to the infirmary and visit you!"

"Why a little cat like him should fall in love with me?" Nancy asked.

Penny was silent for a while.

"Because…. you're beautiful and I'm a….freak….!" she answered then.

Penny began to cry out loud.

"Bwaaaaahaaaaa!"

Nancy hugged Penny to console her.

"Calm down, calm down! Don't cry!" Nancy said stroking Penny's head.

Nancy placed the bandages on the bed and took a tissue.

"Here, dry your eyes!" she said.

"Everyone here loves you because you are cute and nice! Everyone here fears me because I'm ugly and nasty!" Penny said drying her eyes with the tissue.

"You shouldn't be like that!" Nancy said.

"What?"

"Your boyfriend Gumball still loves you. You know, he often talked to me about you!"

"Really?"

"Yes. Every time he came here he talked to me about how much he loves you!" Nancy said.

"Is that so?"

"Yes, he likes me but he doesn't love me! A lot of people love me, but Gumball will always love you, you only, and I won't take him away from you!"

Penny started to feel better.

"Gumball is too young to have a girlfriend like me. Moreover, I already have a boyfriend!"

Nancy showed a golden pendant tied around her neck.

"Here!"

Nancy opened the pendant showing a picture of her boyfriend.

"His name is Jake. He's a police officer in Maine!"

Penny looked at the picture. She was speechless. Jake was…

"A cat! Even you have a cat as boyfriend?" she said watching the orange anthropomorphic cat in uniform.

"Exactly. Well, he's actually a bobcat. We met ten years ago in a hot day of summer!" Nancy said closing her pendant.

Penny felt surprised: she had something in common with her rival.

"So, you don't have to be jealous of me!" Nancy said.

Penny still had some doubts.

"But you're so kind and friendly and I'm not! I did many nasty things since I broke my shell!" she said.

"What are you saying? You shouldn't talk like that!"

"Why?"

"Because you too can become a nice and friendly creature, just like me!"

"Why are you so sure?" Penny asked.

"Because no one is forcing you to act nastily. Anyone can change in better and if you really wish to become a kind and friendly girl like me, you'll surely succeed! "

"Yes but…. how about my appearance! I had to admit I have an awkward appearance, recently!"

For Penny's big surprise, Nancy wasn't speechless;

"Gumball told me you are a shapeshifter, right?"

Penny nodded.

"You can turn in many creatures…."

"In nasty ones most of the times!" Penny interrupted.

"I know you can turn into nasty creatures but I'm sure you also have the ability to turn into beautiful ones!"

"What?"

"Have you ever think about it? You can do beautiful things with your powers! You have the privilege to turn in whatever you want. You can turn into a dragon and other monsters but you can also turn in beautiful creatures like a beautiful cat, into a beautiful bunny, into a beautiful dog or into a beautiful….."

Nancy had a pause.

"….deer, just like…me!" she concluded.

For some strange reason, Penny had a thrill when the nurse pronounced the word "deer". She also had a thrill when she realized to have the possibility to become as pretty as Nancy.

"Do… do you think I can do that?" Penny asked.

"Sure, you just gotta believe! You're not lost! You're not hopeless! You and I know how life can be harsh sometimes and the scars it leaves. You'll be nice and the pain will end. You will have no time for grieving. And when you cry don't forget that the sun is still high in the sky and shines above you!"

Penny, feeling relieved, hugged Nancy for giving her a hope. Nancy and Penny hugged each other. Meanwhile the green aura left Penny's body and the jealousy was gone.

"I'll try!" Penny said.

"Why don't you try now?" Nancy asked.

Penny concentrated; but nothing happened.

"What's wrong?" Nancy asked.

"That's funny. Looks like I can't change my appearance right now!"

"Why?"

"I don't know!"

"Perhaps you're too tired! Try later!"

Nancy healed Penny's wing with the bandages. Soon Penny could fly once again with her wings.

"Thank you Nancy!" she said.

"You're welcome!"

The bell rang. Playtime was over.

"And don't worry for your lost antler: it will regrow!" Nancy said when Penny left the infirmary.


	12. The attempt

The attempt

Gumball started to confess inside the school bus the following morning.

"Happy to see you're fine. I'm so sorry for what happened last Sunday…"

"I know…. I know!" Penny said interrupting him.

"You didn't mean to hurt mean. I guess I can't blame you for lying to me! You knew that I could turn jealous if I came to know about your trip in the museum with Nancy, and you know how I can be easily offended! But it was useless…."

"You followed me that day?" Gumball asked.

"Exactly!"

"I knew it! In fact, I felt that someone was spying me inside the museum. I guessed it was you. I guessed you were that deer but…"

Penny interrupted him again.

"I wasn't the deer. I knew there was something strange when you talked about your visit to your grandma Jojo. I know you hate her. So I pretended to believing in you and when you closed the door, I came back. I turned into a chameleon and I saw Nancy taking you from home with her bicycle. I followed you inside the museum. I was near the Trilobites and up to the deer's head statue when you reached the big dinosaur skeleton. I followed you inside the astral pavilion until you were back home! You couldn't see me because I was camouflaged with the environment!" she explained.

"I'm sorry…. I knew you were jealous of her. I saw that green light around your body." Gumball said.

"Yes, I was so jealous of her. It was foolish of you to take me to the infirmary. You knew that I could….send her to the Sun?" Penny asked.

"Yes, but I was sure that you wouldn't do that!" Gumball answered.

"Why?"

"Because when you turned into a monster in the backyard you fell to the ground and you broke an antler!"

"So?" Penny said.

"You turned into your default form as soon you lost your antler. I guessed you weren't able to change your appearance if one of your antlers was missing. So I bought you to the infirmary!"

Penny remembered when she failed to change her appearance when she was in the infirmary last day. She touched her head; her antler was still missing.

"Nancy said it will grow back again!" Penny said.

Gumball went on his confession;

"I had to go to the museum with her! She had…."

"I know this…." Penny said.

Penny told him about the conversation between her and Nancy in the infirmary omitting the part where Nancy said that she could turn into beautiful creatures.

"Happy to hear you're friends now!" Gumball said.

Meanwhile the school bus arrived at school.

Nancy arrived with her bike. She greeted all the kids and she talked to Penny.

"How are you, today?" she asked.

"I'm fine. Thanks!" Penny answered smiling.

Nancy kissed her cheek.

"Have a nice day!" she said to her.

The bell rang.

Penny never felt jealous of Nancy. Even when she saw her kissing her boyfriend in the cheeks at school entrance, she didn't feel annoyed. Penny didn't consider Nancy her rival anymore. She started to consider the nurse her older sister. Days passed peacefully at Elmore Junior High and so it was until Nancy went back to Maine. She was hired as new nurse at the Maine's General Hospital. At least, that was written in the postcard that she sent to the school the day after her departure.

"We'll probably miss her!" the Principal Brown said.

Meanwhile the old nurse replaced Nancy in the infirmary.

One day, during playtime, Gumball and Penny were sitting on the swings. They kept quiet for a while watching the Sun. Then the blue cat talked.

"I think I'll miss her!" he said.

Penny was quiet.

"Yes, I have to admit, I love Nancy but it wasn't that kind of love which I prove for you!" Gumball said.

"I know, I know! You were just addicted by her prettiness…" Penny answered after a while. Maybe even she was a bit sorry for Nancy's departure.

"….which I think it's normal. I guess everyone do love pretty (and nice) creatures. It's ordinary. Everyone loved Nancy's appearance. I was jealous of her for that, since she's beautiful and I'm a freak!"

"What are you saying, Penny? You're extraordinary!" Gumball said.

"I appreciate your efforts, Gumball!"

Penny stopped staring at the Sun.

"But "you're extraordinary" doesn't mean "you're beautiful". I have to accept the truth. Nancy is beautiful and I'm not. That's the truth, I can't deny that. I must quit living in a world of illusions! Maybe we should quit to being a couple!"

"Why?" Gumball asked a bit confused and frightened.

"What happened in these last days made me think a lot. You fell in love with that nurse despite you were already engaged with me. I was jealous for that. A disaster could happen, you know how unstable and dangerous I am, but thankfully, that didn't happen! So, I think we should quit to being a couple because you can easily fall in love with pretty girls and I can be very dangerous when jealous!" Penny explained.

"How can you say that? It won't happen again!" Gumball said.

"Gumball…." Penny said. She was staring the ground.

"What…what is it?"

"Remember when you asked to marry me and I answered we were too young?"

"So? What's the point?"

"Well, what happened in these past few days made me realize that we were not only too young to marry, but we are also too young to be engaged!"

"Why?"

"Because we are twelve. We are too young and immature to grasp what love is!"

"What do you mean? Why are you so serious?" Gumball asked.

Penny took some time to answer.

"Gumball….is not me! It's love! Love is serious! We are too young to manage it. Love is something for mature people. Not for kids. Love is not kid stuff!"

"So, do you want to go through?"

The antlered creature stopped watching the ground.

"Maybe…."

She turned her head and looked her boyfriend in his eyes.

"…or maybe we can forget everything…"

"….and start all over again!" the blue cat said finishing the sentence.

The bell rang: playtime was over.

Miss Simian gave a lot of work to her students.

"We are a bit backward with the program, we must accelerate!"

Both Gumball and Penny didn't have time to do (or think) anything.

One day, during geometry class, Penny had to go to the toilet.

"Can I go to the toilet Miss Simian?" she asked.

"All right but be quick!" Miss Simian answered.

"Yes!" Penny said leaving the class.

She went to the toilet.

Once finished, Penny washed her orange tentacles in the sink.

She looked herself in the mirror. She gave a look to her appearance. Suddenly she remembered what Nancy said to her. Penny looked at her antler: it perfectly grew up again. She slowly closed her eyes and concentrated herself. She tried to think to something happy; her first kiss with Gumball.

A strong glare surrounded her body. Her antlers, her eyes and her wings started to become bigger. Her upper tentacles became arms with hands. A pair of paw-like feet appeared in her lower tentacles. A pair of pointy ears were appearing on her head. A little fluffy tail was appearing on her back. Her body was turning was turning into a pretty one and…..

Penny fainted.

When she woke up, she couldn't know how much time she spent sleeping. She gave a look at her in the mirror; her appearance was still of a lightbulb with wings, antlers and tentacles with no hands and feet.

The transformation failed.

"Perhaps I'm still not ready for that!" she thought.

"Maybe next time" she said leaving the bathroom.

In fact, one day, Penny tried again…..but that's another story.

END


End file.
